Brushing and scrubbing machine



K. S. DUBICKI AND P. J. MILLER.

BRUSHING AND SCRUBBING MAc'mNE.

APPLICAHON FILED NQV.28,1917- .Patmted May 31, 1921.

4 ASHEETS-SHEET 1.

a t mgr m1: M v wim Q M ON a Q K. s. DUBI CKI AND P. J. NIH-442R. BR USHING AND SCRUBBING MACHINE. APPUCAHON FILED NOV,28, 1917 -4 SHEETSSHEET 2- 310m nfoz Kaje tan EfElu binKi. Paul T Miller- K. S. DUBICKI AND P. J. MILLER BRUSHING AND SCBUBBING MACHINE.

AP LWHHON HLEU NOV; 28, 1917- Puteh'i eoi my 31, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- attorney,

STATES PATENT orricia.

KAJETAN s. DUBICKI AND PAUL J. MILLER, or Barren CREEK, rarcmea BRUSHING AND S CRUIBBING MACHINE.

Application filed November T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, KAJETAN S. DUBIOKI, a citizen of Russia, and PAUL J. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, both residing at Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements Scrubbing Machines, of which the following is a specification,

The present invention relates to brushing and scrubbing machines, and more particularly to a'machine designed for scrubbing floors.

An object of the present invention-is to provide a machine of this character with a plurality of rotary brushes and means for adjustably supporting the brushes in the frame of the machine; to provide the machine with means for determining the ad'- justment of the various brushes so that the pressure of the brushes on the floor may be uniform at opposite sides of the machine and for all of the brushes; to provide means for supplying water to the floor in advance of the brushes to wet thesurface prior to the operation of the brushes thereagainst; to provide adjust-able means for sealing the lower marginal edge of the frame against the floor and prevent, to a large eXtent,-the escape of water from beneath the frame and thus confine the discharged water to the path of the brushes; and to provide means for supporting a continuous web or wiper in the frame for frictional contact with the surface scrubbed by the brushes.

The invention also embodies an improved mounting for the water supply tank and the wiper, and means for wringing or squeezing the wiper and discharging the liquid absorbed thereby into the water tank.

The invention also embraces various other important features which will hereinafter be in part understood, and in part described, from the following detailed descriptionof the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a floor scrubbing machine constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken cent-rally through the machine.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken horizontally through one of the for- Specification of Letters Patent.

in Brushing and Patented May 31, 192 1. as, 1917. Serial No. 204,417.

ward corners of the machine 10 the bottom thereof. Okmg towald Flg. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the adjustable driving shaft supports arranged to adjust the tension of the various belts employe F 1g. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section through the machine, showing the adjustable mountlng of one of employed.

Fig. 7 is a detail s ectional view of the rear portion ofthe frame, showing the-location of the trough or scraper over the liquid tank.

Fig. 8 is a detail vertical section through the forward supporting bracket.

Referring to these drawings, 10 designates a frame in the form of a casing open at its bottom and closed at its top. The rear end of the casing is supported upon one or more wheels 11 which are j ournaled upon shaft 12 mounted in vertical adjustable brackets slidable in guides 14 projecting from the rear end of the frame or casing 10. A ack screw 15 1s threaded vertically in each projection 14: and has connection with the adjacent bracket 13 to raise and lower the same and thus support the rear end of the frame 10 at the desired height above the floor.

The forward end of the frame 10 is supported by a roller 16 journaled in a bracket 17 slidably mounted in a vertical guideway 18 carried upon the forward end of the frame. The guideway 18 has a projection v 19 overhanging the bracket 17 and in which a ack screw 20 is threaded, the jack screw bearing against the bracket 17 to support the forward end of the frame 10 at the desired height above the floor.

The forward end of the casing 10 may be of relatively low flat construction and is adapted to house a plurality of rotary scrubbing brushes 21 extending transversely within the frame in a longitudinal row, and suitably spaced apart to admit free rotation thereof. Each brush 21 has a shaft 22 reduced at opposite ends to form journals 23 the scrubbing brushes cooperate with pointers 31 projecting from the lower ends of the rods 26 to determine the height of adjustment of the opposite ends of the bars 25.

At one side of the machine the journals 23 have sprocket wheels 32 thereon, over which are trained endless chains 33 engaging the sprocket wheels to insure rotation of all of the rotary brushes 21. Preferably, the rearmost journal 23 is provided with a second sprocket wheel 34 receiving thereover a drive chain 35 which extends upward at said side of the casing and passes over a drive sprocket 36 which is mounted upon a drive shaft 37. The drive shaft 37 is supported at opposite ends in sleeve bearings 38 carried uponthe lower end of threadedrods 39 which project upwardly and pass through spaced apart ears 4O projecting from bracket arms 41 which rise one on either side of the casing 10. A thumb nut 42 is threaded on each rod 39 and lies between the adjacent cars 40 to support the rod 39 and admit vertical adjustment thereof. Each bracket arm 41 is provided with a vertical graduated scale 42 over which traverses a pointer 43 mounted upon the shaft 37 to move therewith, the pointers 43, facilitating the uniform tensioning of the opposite ends of the drive shaft 37 in the frame.

The drive shaft 37 has mounted thereon a grooved wheel or pulley 44 over which passes a drive belt 45 which also passes over a pulley 46 mounted upon a motor 47. The motor 47 is preferably of the electric type and is used for driving the brushes and mecha-' nismin the casing.

Arranged in the rear end of the casing 10, and near the open bottom thereof isa tank 48 open at its upperend and supported upon guides 49 arranged transversely inithe frame, the tank having an end wall projecting through a correspondingly formed opening in the side of the casing 10 and provided with a knob or handle 50 by means of which the tank 48 may be slid outwardly through the side of the frame for filling and cleansing the tank. Surrounding the tank is an endless wiper 51 of suitable material for absorbing moisture and wiping the floor; The wiper 51 is stretched longitudinally at the lower open end of the casing beneath the tank 48 upon a pair of transversely extending idler rollers 52 mounted in the lower edge portion of the frame and projecting slightly below the same to hold the. wiper 51 in frictional contact with the floor. The wiper 51 extends upward within the frame in rear of the tank 48 and passes forwardly over a feed roller 53 extending transversely in the upper part of the frame adjacent to a wringer roller 54 also extending transversely in the frame and forwardly of the feed roller-53, the wipe-r passing'over the roller 53 and down beneath the roller 54. An idler roller 55 extends transversely in the upper part of the frame forwardly of and above the tank 48, and over which the wiper 51 passes to hold the latter out of contact with the tank. a

The rollers 53 and 54 are adapted to squeeze the wiper 51 therebetween and force the moisture out of the wiper above the tank 58,, the liquid dropping into the tank and the wiper being conditioned to absorb an additional amount of moisture from the floor. A scraper 56 extends transversely in the upper part of the frame and is adapted to engage the forward side of the roller 54 to collect moisture therefrom. The scraper 56 is preferably of trough shape and is adapted to direct fluid collected from the roller 54 back into the tank. 48 at one end thereof. i

A fluid distributer 57 is mounted within the frame 10 forwardly of the. brushes 21 and is supported at its ends in the opposite sides of the casing. The distributer 57 is in the form of a pipe having a row of perforations 58 in its under side through which jets of fluid may be projected against the'floor and the brushes. One end of the distributer 57 is connected to a flexible hose or pipe which extends rearwardly and exteriorly of .L

the frame to the forward end of the tank 48 and is connected thereto by a valve 60, e

the latter being tapped into the tank at a point preferably above the bottom thereof to prevent the gravitation of sediment in the tank through the pipe 59.

Surrounding the lower edge of the frame 10 is a flexible sealing strip 61 which is formed of rubber or other flexible material overturned and secured at its opposite edges to the opposite sides of the walls of the frame, reinforcing metallic strips 62 being preferably employed for protecting the edges of the flexible member and for holding the same flat against the Walls of the casing throughout the length of the strip. Rivets or the like are employed for holding the strips 61 and 62 in position. i

In operation, the tank 48 is drawn out of the frame sufficiently to fill the tank about two-thirds full of water and soap, or other suitable liquid. The motor 47 is set in motion to turn the drive shaft 37 and operate the brushes 21 at a relatively high speed of rotation. The valve 60 is now opened and the liquid flows by gravity from the tank 48 to the distributer 5", the latter delivering a transverse row of jets of the liquid against the floor and the foremost brush 21. The rollers or wheels 11 and 16 are adjusted to bring the sealing strip 61 into the desired contact with the floor to prevent seepage of water outwardly beneath the casing. The brushes 21 are adjusted to exert the desired pressure against the floor surface by raising and lowering the opposite ends of the bars 25, and the scales 30 facilitate the adjustment of the brushes to the desired pres sure. The operation of the shaft 37 drives the feed roller 53 through a belt (33 which is trained over a pulley 64 on the drive shaft, and over a grooved wheel 65 mounted on the feed roller 53. preferably driven in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of the brushes 21, and for this purposethe belt 63 is preferably crossed as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The feed roller 53 drives the wiper 51 in a direction opposite to that in which the frame or casing 10 is moved, and is adapted to wipe over he surface of the floor after the same has been scrubbed by the brushes 21. The wiper 51 abso bs the excess moisture on the floor and is raised into contact with the wringer roller 54; which compresses the wiper against the feed roller 53 to force the excess moisture therefrom and insure the driving of the wiper. The excess moisture drops into the open upper end of the tank 48.

The device may be transported over the floor surface in any suitable manner and in the present instance a handle 66 is employed and secured to the rear end of the frame for pushing the latter. For the purpose of gaining access to-the wiper, the upper end of the frame is provided with a removable cap or cover 67 adapted to fit on the frame and provided at opposite ends with outstanding staples 68 over which hasps 69 are adapted to engage, the hasps being pivotally mounted upon the opposite sides of the frame 10. Each hasp may be provided with a pivoted hook 7 0 arranged to engage in the adjacent staple 68 when the hasp is in interlocking engagement therewith.

It is of course understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

IVhat is claimed is:

1. In a floor scrubbing machine, the combination of a casing open at itsbottom, a sealing strip carried upoh the lower edge of the casing for contact with the floor to seal The feed roller 53 is ing at the desired height to compress the sealing strip, means for delivering Water into one end of the casing to wet the floor, a brush arranged in the casing adapted "to work against the wet floor, and a Wiper arranged within the casing for absorbing moisture on the surface of the floor subsequent to scrubbing.

2. In a floor scrubbing machine, the combination of a casing, adjustable brush supports on the casing, brushes in the casing having shafts journaled in the supports, driving means on the frame having a shaft, a connection between the shaft of the driving means and said brush shafts, and an adjustable support for the shaft of the driving means to adapt said connection to the brushes when in various positions.

3. In a floor scrubbing machine, the combination of a casing, a bar arranged against each side of the casing, rotary brushes mounted on said bars, adjusting means connected to opposite ends of said bars and to the casing for raising and lowering the ends of the bars, and indicating means between the casing and the bars for determining the adjustment of the bars and admitting the uniform adjustment of opposite ends thereof.

4. In a floor scrubbing machine, the combination of a casing, a brush support mounted in the casing, rotary brushes journaled in the support, an operating shaft, a chain connecting said shaft to one of the brush shafts, a secohd chain connecting the brush shafts together, graduated means for adjusting said brush support, and graduated means for adjusting said'operatingshaft.

5. In a floor scrubbing machine the combination of a casing open at its bottom and adapted tomove over a floor,water spraying means in one end of the casing to wet the'floor, brushes arranged in the casing and adapted to scrub the wet floor, a Wiper in the casing adapted to remove excessive moisture from the floor subsequent to the scrubbing action, a wringing roller carried by said casing for washing engagement with said wiper, a scraper carried by the casing and engaging said wringing roller for removing accumulations thereon raised from the floor by the wiper, said scraper provided with a pocket for receiving said accumula- 1 supporting the same and. maintaining the casing at the desired height to compress said sealing strip.

KAJETAN s. DUBICKI. PAUL J. MILLER. 

